Universal-jointed automobile steering-rod.



J. H'. STULL.

\UNI,VERSAL JOINTED AUTOMOBILE STEERING ROD.-

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 31, 1910.

Patented May 7, 1912.

INVENToF'e WITNESSES ml tu.. WASHINGTON. D. c4

coLuMnlA PLANQGRA JACOB H. STULL, OF FREMONT, OHIO.

UNIVERSAL-JOINTED AUTOMOBILE STEERING-ROD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

" Patented May 7, 1912.

Application filed October 31, 1910. Serial No. 589,852.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JACOB H. STULL, citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Fremont, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Universal-JointedAutomobile Steering-Rods, of which the following is a specification.

In the construction of automobiles, it is well known that there are manymakes wherein for some reason it is impractical to tilt the steeringrod, and that in consequence the hand wheel is made to so encroach uponthe room of the driver, that while it is made to occupy a suitableposition for his use when operating his machine it very much interfereswith his comfort in getting out and into the carriage; and it is thegeneral purpose and object of my invention to overcome thisinconvenience, which I do in the manner hereinafter set forth.

A further object of my invention is to provide a suitable guide and stayfor both the throttle and spark controlling rods, which being locatedintermediate of the ends thereof serves to reinforce them, and therebypermit the use of a lighter' and more flexible rod; as well as toreinforce the steering rod.

Referring` to the drawings: Figure 1 represents a side view of my deviceas seen in place with the body of the carriage ont in longitudinalsection; Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the same, the steeringrod and its casing being cut m cross section on the line A A of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 represents a vertical cross section of Fig. 2 on the line Al--A1of Fig. 2; Fig. t represents a detail view of parts shown in Fig. 1.

In a more detailed description of my invention it may be understood that1 is the floor of the carriage body, 2 being its dash. IVhether thesteering rod 3 be of the solid type, made to operate within a casing 4as I have shown, or be itself a hollow shaft, I provide the same witha'suitable collar 5 which is preferably rectangular in form, and whichin t-he present instance is secured to said casing by a pin G (Fig. 3);and the same is made to slide back and forth between guide walls 7,which preferably are suitably spaced apart. In the present constructionthey are shown as forming the side walls of a box, the ends 7 beingintegral with said walls, while the box is open, top and bottom. Toaccommodate said walls or wall plates, a suitable slot 8, not shown, iscut lengthwise of said floor, and to secure .said plates thereto theyare provided with suitable fianges 9, which by bolts 10 are secured inplace. Said vrod 3, for purposes hereafter explained, is

divided into two members, and the lower one 3a, as represented in Fig.1, and shown in some detail in Fig. 4t, carries a worm 11, which mesheswith a suitable gear wheel 12 or segment thereof; and to which in turnis pivoted one end of a rod 13.

It is common knowledge, with those versed in the art, that there aremany diiferent methods of making operative connection, between thesteering rod and the hinged studs, upon which the forward wheels turn.In the drawings, for purpose of illustration I have selected one of themore common sorts, and in reference thereto it will be understood thatthe rod 13 is made to connect with other steering mechanism in the usualand ordinary way, and that the lower end of said member 3 has itsspindle 3b suitably jour naled; and further that since I make no claimtherefor. I do not show such mechanism in more detail; it beingunderstood that the mechanic is at liberty to use any means thereforwhich is at his command. In order that said' rod may be tiltable,regardless of whether the same might otherwise be tilted or not, Iprovide a universal joint 15 with lwhich I connect the two members ofsaid rod; by which means said rod may be tilted while the forward wheelshave different relative positions. Manifestly different styles or formsof such joints may be utilized for the purpose without departing fromthe spirit of my invention. In the drawings I have shown one of the mostcommon kind, wherein the rod may be tilted about either of the pivots 1Gor 17, the axis of which intersect each other at right angles. Sincethese joints are so familiar to those conversant with the art Ido notshow said joint in more detail. In order that said casing may besupported by the body, or frame work of the carriage I provide saidcollar with a stud 18 which I make to operate in a slot 19 of the plate7 And in order to support said rod 3, as well as to stay the sameagainst yielding from alinement at its joints, except as the same isintentionally tilted, the member 3 is made to pass through a stayingbracket 19a, upon which the lower member of said joint l5 is made toride; and which is secured to the carriage body, and to the part 7a, atits opposite ends, by means 19 and to this bracket the gear wheel l2 1sshown as hung by the hanger 12a which is secured thereto by means 12b;but as already stated the manner of hanging forms no part of myinvention. In order to lock said rod in position, either forward orback, I provide said collar with a suitable locking dog 20 which ispivoted thereto by a pivot 21, and near its forward end I provide itwith a locking member 22, which is integral therewith and is made toengage a locking notch 23 cut in the upper edge of said wall plate 7.

For the purpose of illustration I have selected a carriage having itsfloor given some angle at the point where the feet of the driver usuallyrest; but whether the floor be of this type, or be level as many are, itshould be understood that the upper edge of said wall plate is to begiven an are, with radii leading from the pivot 16 as a center. Saiddog, for better security, is preferably made in pairs, one upon eachside of the collar 5; and correspondingly made to lo'ck with the plate 7upon each side. For tripping purposes one of said dogs, or both ifdesired, is provided with a trip 24C, which in the drawings is shownwith an off set 25 to clear said plate, as the steering rod is movedback and forth; and for better and more prompt locking action of saiddogs, I suitably join them at their forward ends by connecting means 26,to which I connect one end of a spiral tension spring 27, the oppositeend of which is secured to said collar by means 28. And thus whethersaid rod be placed in either a forward or rear position the same issecurely held in place.

Inasmuch as the use of a solid steering rod is more generally preferred,thus rendering it necessary to provide the same with a casing, withinwhich the throttle and spark controlling rods are made to operate, as Ihave illustrated, and which are designated as 29 and 29@Lrespectively,-for the purpose of reinforcing the same, and thus permitthe use of a lighter and more flexible rod, as well as to lend firmnessto the steering rod, I interpose between said casing and rod, a shortsection of suitable tubing 30 which is permanently secured to saidcasing by means of said pin G, as more particularly shown 'in F ig. 3;said pin being made to pass through said casing and enter the wall ofsaid tube. And to accommodate said rods 29 and 29a severally, I providesaid tubing with suitable cylindrical openings 31 which extendlengthwise of said tubing, and within which its appropriate rod is madeto operate.

In Fig. l, 32 represents a handle or knob to the usual throttle lever33, and 3-1: is a knob to the lever which controls the spark; it beingunderstood that said levers are respectively used to operate the rods 29and 29a. 35 is a Stringer and 36 a dash brace.

This invention diifers from others of like character in that it isadapted to be attached to any machine wit-hout any alteration belowjoint in steering rod, which is of much utility and a marked improvementover similar devices.

I-Iaving described my invention what I claim is:

l. In a device of the character described the combination of a universaljointed steering rod; a slotted carriage body; a tubular casing for saidrod and within which the same is made to operate, together with a collarfor said casing which is preferably of the rectangular form and carriedthereby; suitable hanged guide plates for said slot between which saidcollar is made to operate, together with means by which said plates areheld in place; suitable studs for the support of said collar, with whichthe same is provided, and a slot in said guide plates therefor, one foreach such plate, and in which said studs are severally made to operate,together with a supporting and staying bracket for said rod near itsjoints whereby the same is supported to said carriage body, and held inplace; a pair of t-ripable dogs, both of which are oppositely pivoted tosaid collar, and each of which is provided with a locking member,together with coperating locking notches therefor with which said guideplates are provided, which are made to receive said locking members, andsuitable connecting means bctween said dogs; together with anaccelerating spring between said connecting means and a relativelyimmovable part, whereby said rod may be tilted and the same be held inany predetermined position.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a tiltabletubular casing; a slotted frame work therefor; a collar for said casing,which is preferably of the rectangular form and carried thereby;suitable ianged guide plates for said slot, between which said collar ismade to operate, together with means by which said plates are held inplace; suitable studs, for the support of said collar with which thesame is provided, and a slot in said guide plates therefor, one for eachsuch plate and in which said studs are severally made to operate; a pairof tripable dogs both of which are oppositely pivoted to said collar,

tilted it muy be held in any predetermined lo position.

In teStmony whereof I znx my signatnre in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB H. STULL.

und eneh of which s provided with 2L loek ing .member7 together witheoperntng locking notches therefor, with which seid guide plates 1reprovided which are made to reeeve Said looking members, and Suitableconnecting Ineens between said dogs, together with an acceleratingspring between seid connecting means and a relatively mmovnble part,whereby when said casing is Ttnesses CARL J. HEFFNER, FRANK J. TUTTLE.

'Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

